Former Birmingham City captain Michael ‘I want to become Birmingham City manager’

Michael Morrison, a beloved former player at St Andrew’s, is considering various options for his post-retirement career, with a coaching role at Birmingham City ranking high on his list of preferences.

Currently plying his trade with League One outfit Cambridge United, Morrison finds himself in the twilight years of his playing career, five years after departing Birmingham. Despite his advancing years, Morrison has been a mainstay in Cambridge’s lineup, featuring in every minute of their 38 league matches this season, and he intends to continue playing into the next season.

Having commenced his career with Cambridge and subsequently represented several clubs including Leicester, Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton, Blues, Reading, and Portsmouth, Morrison’s mind has begun to wander towards his future beyond playing. Expressing his desire to prolong his playing career, Morrison remains hopeful of securing another season either with Cambridge or elsewhere.

“I still believe I have plenty to offer on the pitch. Playing every game this season in League One speaks volumes, and I believe I merit another season, either with Cambridge or elsewhere. I am keen to continue playing,” Morrison shared on the Keep Right On podcast.

“But you do have to realise that you are coming to the end. I have just turned 36, I’ve done my A licence and I’ve done my LMA diploma in football management.”

Morrison is clearly geared towards coaching, but there is another avenue more and more former players are venturing down. The increase in clubs using sporting directors has created another job for ex-professionals that requires an entirely different skillset.

Morrison has received training on that crucial, behind-the-scenes function. And one of his former Blues teammates joined him in the classroom.

“I completed my master’s program in sports directorship under Lukas Jutkiewicz. I was really happy for him because he moved back a year ago after having a child, and he recently passed that course with distinction.

“I just want to make sure I’m qualified academically and have the experience,” the man said. “I’m preparing for when you have to cross that line and go over the other side, be it coaching or I just saw George Friend take the Bristol Rovers sporting director job.”

Morrison and Jutkiewicz have talked about coaching as a double-act. Should that materialize, they may take over as manager of Blues, for whom they have made 512 appearances and counting.

Morrison chuckled, “Lukas has some work to do to get on my staff.” “Although you might wind up somewhere else, I think it’s a logical progression—I’ve led teams and served as captain at clubs I’ve been at, so I don’t want to just say I want to be a manager.

“If someone were to ask me if I wanted to manage Birmingham someday, I would definitely hope that I had performed well enough to be given that chance. It’s a huge club.